Opening Game Against The Bitter Blues

Gunna try a bit of a live blogish...more of a train of thought as the Wings play.

1st Period

• First period of the NHL season and so far we've seen 4th line domination and 4th line embarrassment. Big Bert looks great so far. See the between the legs shot? Impressive.
  
  
• Draper still has the speed. Not Helm speed but faster than that Polak character (and oh yeah, thanks ref). Nice play by Big E to follow that up. But I'm not sure what the hell Lebda was doing on that first goal.
  
  
• Holy fuck, Malts just scored on a shorthanded breakaway. Did someone spike my drink is LSD? I was just about to write about how worthless he is, but nevermind, maybe I was right about his sandbagging it for the last ten years. You sandbagging sonofabitch Malts.
  
  
• The game doesn't have a whole lot of energy. Feels like a preseason game.
  
  
• Oh boy, we get to hear Rick Harrow at intermission. Way to continue your excellent intermission shows Vs.
  
  
• 5-3 now...though the Versus announcers still hasn't figured it out. So far, so good. Lots of shots, Mason's been solid though. I'm not sure what I think of Clearly, Homer and Val as number two PP line though. I can't even see those three being friends.
  
  
• Good period for the Wings. Not great, but good.
  
  
• By the way, is there anyone out there at OSU who is a Wings fan? Should get a mid-Ohio Wings get together. I've seen a few hats and shirts, I know you are out there.

2nd Period

• EVILLE what a fucking shot.
  
  
• Mason is the only reason why it's not 6-1 right now.
  
  
• Shit, fuck Mason. Again, what a save on Cleary.
  
  
• What boring announcers. Jesus, I'd rather be listening to Gary Thorne say "that's a nice stick" 1,000 times a game than these two jokes.
  
  
• Franzen just got a penalty for waving his stick in the air. Somewhere, Bettman smiles.
  
  
• Shit, not much Ozzie can do on that. Stuart has to get out of the way.
  
  
• Wings just got scored on on a 2 on 4.
  
  
• Jesus, Lebda. Shit is falling apart.
  
  
• Terrible end of the period. Wow, the Hawks lost today, but put 55 shots on Vokoun? That a boy Huet. Keeping the other team in it.
  
  
• Shit, Big E is out. This is too early for this shit to be starting.
  

3rd Period

• The announcers just threw out this gem "The ice is chopped up in the corner...it's because of all the heavy lifting by the Blues...ha. ha. ha."
  
  Fuck you Bettman. I hate you and Versus.
  
  
• Come on Wings, guessing 6-4 final, Wings up.
  
  
• So apparently, they don't call coincidentals when four people attack one, even if the one is trying to choke the life out of the Blues player.
  
  
• Damnit Mason, what a save. Datsyuk is a god. Edit that, looks like it hit the post. Still, Datsyuk is still a god. And Franzen is MAD.
  
  
• Lebda is the worst player on the ice. He's an offensive defenseman who doesn't produce any offense. Shit. Wings get a lucky powerplay here, they need one.
  
  
• Maltby just threw an F-bomb out there on national TV, makes me feel better that hopefully the FTC will fine VS. And Kariya just hacked the hell out of Dats on a breakaway and nothing.
  
  
• Shit. 4-3 final. Mason played a hell of a game and the Wings shutdown for a lot of the second. Still, a bunch of good things out of this game. And it is great to have hockey back.

Wings three stars:

1. Maltby - What a game from the grizzled vet. Apparently playing for your spot helps.
2. Lieno - He can score. He either looked like a superstar out there or clueless, hopefully he gets it together.
   
3. Datsyuk - Was great out there, even if he didn't score. It'll come.

Other notes:

• As I said before, Lebda sucked. Osgood was average at best. And, Bertuzzi started great and faded. The talent is still there, but hopefully the head comes back.
  
  
• It is only game one of a long season. The BBBB's will be celebrating like they won the cup. Unlike those tools, we actually know that one game doesn't mean shit.
  
  
• Versus literally quit the game as soon as they could to get to a hunting show. Like one comment, and nothing of substance. What a joke, Direct TV is right.